[jblow]

Networking is for people who don't know what they are doing and who don't have better ideas regarding what to do with their time and energy. So if you go to a networking event, understand that you are automatically putting yourself into this class of person.

If you are someone who provides a lot of value, other people will go out of their way to meet you, and then you don't have to go to networking events. So the fact that you are doing networking implies that you are someone who does not provide a lot of value (or else that people don't know what value you provide).

Do you think Elon Musk goes to a lot of networking events? Do you think Steve Jobs went to a lot of networking events?

If you are early in your career and legitimately aren't providing a lot of value yet, because it's early, then I would offer that your time is much better spent cloistered away becoming excellent at what you do, than it is networking. Because if the arc of your career involves you being excellent at what you do, then very quickly you will find that people you meet randomly at events like this are not in your league -- that's just how things are everywhere all the time.

[mindcrime]

Do you think Elon Musk goes to a lot of networking events?

Define "a lot" and "networking event". Does Elon go to events that are explicitly titled "Silicon Valley Leads Group" or "Bay Area Startup Mixer"? Probably not. That doesn't mean he doesn't go to networking events though. It's just that his networking events are titled "Gala Banquet Fundraiser for $FOO" and you only get invited if you donated $50,000 to $FOO. When Elon Musk "networks" he's meeting other CEOs, the President, Senators, and the like. But it's still networking.

[codegeek]

"Networking is for people who don't know what they are doing and who don't have better ideas regarding what to do with their time and energy. "

Wait, what ? No. That's not what networking is for. You don't network only because you have nothing better to do and you are at the bottom of the food chain but because networking helps you create influence in a world where ultimately, everything comes down to human beings. Do you believe that successful people don't network anymore ? You are talking about "networking" as if it is a negative last resort kind of thing for losers. Not quite. I bet if you interview any successful person, they will tell you that people skills/networking is one of the most important aspects of success. Go read the book "how to win friends and influence people" to understand what networking is all about.

Networking is not a one time event. It is a continuous process regardless of whether you are rich or poor, success or failure

[nostrademons]

So when I was in college I was pretty shy, but I heard that networking was essential for career success, and so I was kinda terrified about what my future held.

It's 8 years later, I'm in my early 30s, and I feel like my network is doing pretty well. At least, some of my direct friends - people I would invite to crash on my couch when they're visiting town, or go out for dinner with weekly - are tech leads of major consumer products with millions of users, or entrepreneurs with a successful exit, or heads of university research departments, or responsible for managing tens of millions in investment portfolios. And my 2nd degree connections include early Google employees, venture capitalists, heads of government agencies, etc. This is all without doing all that much in the way of deliberate networking. I just get involved with things that I'm passionate about and seek out other people who are passionate about it - or, more commonly, get sought out by other people who are passionate about it.

It's a little paradoxical that almost all of my big career successes came from my network, but almost none of my network consists of people that I specifically "networked" with.

I think what a lot of people miss about general social interaction is that people like to hang out with other folks like themselves. If you specifically believe that networking is the key to success, you will attract other people that believe networking is the key to success, and you will end up with a network full of...well, networkers. Which can be great in fields like enterprise sales or politics where success is pretty much based on knowing lots of people who know lots of other people. But if you want to network with people who are passionate about changing the world for the better, your best bet is to be passionate about changing the world yourself, make your actions congruent with that, and you'll find that you will find and attract other such people.

[hbags]

"seek out other people who are passionate about it"

ding ding ding ding ding. This is what networking is. Purposefully interacting with people whose passions, and goals overlap your own.

It saddens me that so many tech folks do exactly what you did: writing a screed about how networking is useless, in which you explicitly note that you networked, and that your network is responsible for all of your big career successes.

[nostrademons]

It's also a little sad to see a bunch of people going to events they're not passionate about because they hear "networking is important". Unfortunately that happens a lot: people mistake effect ("I got involved in things that interested me, and met a lot of interesting people doing that") with cause ("I should go out and meet lots of people because then I'll be successful.")

[jblow]

I feel like a reasonably successful person at this point, and I don't do "networking". I am not uncommon in this regard; most of the most successful people people in my industry do not do "networking". That's why I posted my original comment; I feel it is a reality, among at least a very strong subculture of talented people, that is underrepresented in rhetoric.

Addressing some of the other replies: I have done certainly a lot of speaking engagements, and yes, these have been very helpful for becoming more known and whatever, but I never do them for that reason; I always do a speech because I have something specific that I really want to say. Any publicity is a by-product (and sometimes publicity is highly aggravating and undesired). I certainly don't try to meet people via speaking events, parties, dinners, whatever. Sometimes I do end up meeting people, but not that often really, and again, it is a by-product.

In my experience, successful people almost always go to a party just to go to a party and relax or see what's up. They aren't going to a party for ulterior motives like maybe meeting someone who they might be able to get something out of and blah blah blah. Actually, successful people often just don't go to parties because they have other things to do and parties where you don't have a strong peer group are not going to be very interesting.

If you have a specific business objective, you are not going to solve that by randomly going to an event and having random conversations. You are going to solve it by calling someone on the phone or emailing them. If you don't have a specific business objective, you probably won't find much traction with whatever you are doing unless you get a specific business objective.

[Double_Cast]

I think the lesson is that networking isn't a goal per se. Networking should be done with a purpose in mind; it should be a byproduct of getting stuff done. Networking for the sake of networking will get you nowhere fast.

[mikektung]

A lot of the commentary here is just shifting around the definition of networking--anywhere from attending public meetup events to "people skills".

The useful realization for an entrepreneur in a place like Silicon Valley is that networking is increasingly a commodity. The social graphs are so much more open and connected than before that anyone you'd want to meet is just one or two hops away. Thus, time and attention is better spent not on networking, but on the harder task of being a person of value to the network, so that other people will want to network with you.

[seiji]

Do you think Steve Jobs went to a lot of networking events?

He met his wife while mingling with the audience after he gave a talk at Stanford. Does that count as networking?

There's also "networking with other current losers who are early in their career and may end up being great later."

Sometimes it works. Sometimes you end up trying to get away from boring people for 45 minutes before running back to the train.

[notastartup]

>He met his wife while mingling with the audience after he gave a talk at Stanford. Does that count as networking?

Now, I know where to look for my future wife. Aspiring billionairesses on YC, you had me with your 'Hello, My name is ____' sticker.

[coolrhymes]

Its funny you say this but I noticed it first hand. Also, it depends on where you network and who you network with.

Last month or so I was compelled to network aggressively being the CTO & all. Most folks I met at meetups or other networking events were flat out pointless. This also applies to so called "investor forums/pitches" etc, which to me was the worst kind.

But then I started targeting specific people using linkedin, personal references and my ROI has been great.

Also, you should never network for sake of networking. In fact most people I admire, want others to contact them only if they can help others than just exchange pleasantries. This to me was the biggest surprise but it does make sense [after the fact :)]

[7Figures2Commas]

> Networking is for people who don't know what they are doing...

"Networking" is simply the process of meeting other people with whom you might one day establish a (professional) relationship with. It takes place everywhere people meet. That includes university classrooms and the offices of employers.

> So if you go to a networking event, understand that you are automatically putting yourself into this class of person.

You must have a very narrow view of what constitutes a "networking event." A lecture with a reception is potentially a "networking event." An conference is an opportunity to network. Are you seriously going to suggest that folks who attend lectures and conferences are all hapless fools? If so, I take it you rejected your invite to the Allen & Company conference in Sun Valley?

> If you are someone who provides a lot of value, other people will go out of their way to meet you...

This akin to the mistaken belief that if you build it, they will come. If nobody knows who you are and what you do because you've "cloistered" yourself for half a decade, nobody is going to seek you out because they don't know you even exist.

> Do you think Elon Musk goes to a lot of networking events? Do you think Steve Jobs went to a lot of networking events?

Steve Jobs met Steve Wozniak through a high school friend. Elon Musk is a member of the "PayPal Mafia." If you believe that Steve Jobs and Elon Musk built billion dollar businesses on their own while holed up in a bedrooms in a house on a quiet street in Silicon Valley, you might want to read up on their stories before trotting them out as examples of business titans who never networked.

> If you are early in your career and legitimately aren't providing a lot of value yet, because it's early, then I would offer that your time is much better spent cloistered away becoming excellent at what you do...

Excellence often does require focused, individual effort, but it's a lot harder to achieve if you refuse exposure to folks who have more knowledge and experience than you.

[kaliblack]

Network events aren't networking like television ads aren't marketing

[pwim]

The Homebrew Computer Club was a networking event that helped launch Apple.

[sscalia]

I can't believe this is the top comment on this story.

You have got to be kidding me.

Networking events are invaluable, especially to new graduates. It's important to know how to interact face to face with other human beings. It's important to show you can have a real human conversation with someone, understand body language, understand emotions and social cues.

I realize these skills aren't highly valued on HN for some, but if you really want to be successful they absolutely are.

Also - Elon Musk and Steve Jobs networked their asses off. Homebrew computer club. Speaking engagements. Hustling investors. That's all networking.

[RuCrazy]

JBlow must be a real genious and really good at what he does. I mean that serious now and not being some smart ace. Some people use that to their strategy, to their focus or game plan. I see myself in this way most of the times, in some events where I really don´t feel like talking about my business or wanting to hear yours. I just want to be there for the booz and a good time and get the hell out..and that´s it, if they want an email or contact do so, no problem but I don´t care to talk business at that time, I do it when I am focused!

[rfnslyr]

You have very obviously never been to an actual networking event.